Chance Meeting on the High Level Bridge
by Lhachel
Summary: An Elf is exiled from Aman a crime she did not commit. One million years later, she meets a depressed human girl and makes friends with her. Action/Adventure plot later! Silmarillion knowledge required.


Chapter One- Chance Meeting  
  
[AN: No, Tolkien doesn't belong to me. Marion and Caitlyn do.  
  
If you don't see what this has to do with Tolkien this first chapter, just wait and have faith.  
  
Okay, for this story I want detailed reviews of what you liked, didn't like and why. I'm not quite sure where this story is going and it's my first drama, so I really need to know what you are thinking.]  
  
It was Christmas Eve in the year 2003 AD, and it was snowing heavily in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Marion Thomas was trudging to a downtown LRT* station that would take her to her lonely apartment.  
  
She had no hope of a happy Christmas that year, the first year since her parents had died in a car crash. Her siblings were happily scattered over the continent, not caring a single bit about a depressed, unemployed, nearly broke 20-year-old.  
  
As she crossed the High Level Bridge** she thought "If I jumped my family wouldn't even care. At least I'd be out of here", but she dismissed the thoughts. She wouldn't have the guts to actually jump off the bridge.  
  
As she walked further on, however, it looked like someone else did have the guts to jump. On the other side of the safety railing, hanging out over the river was a figure she could barely see through the snow.  
  
It had its hands and feet worked through the railing and was shouting into the wind. When Marion got closer, she could see that it was a tall woman with long golden hair, wearing all white. Marion shouted  
  
"Don't jump! Stop!" but the woman ignored her. She kept yelling into the wind, but Marion couldn't hear what she was saying. Then, the woman somehow managed to get back over the rail without turning around and then she turned to Marion. She was breathtakingly beautiful, although her features were marked with sadness. The woman had been crying, but she was now quite calm.  
  
"I would not have jumped." She stated "and I would not have died it I had." "Sorry to disillusion you, but anyone would die if they jumped off the High Level Bridge."  
  
"Manwe and Ulmo would not have permitted it. "The winds or the waves would have borne me up." The strange woman snapped. She turned away from Marion and walked off.  
  
Marion shrugged. That was one delusional girl; maybe she had escaped from a mental hospital. Oh well, it had certainly made her day more interesting.  
  
She crossed the bridge into downtown Edmonton and headed for the LRT station. If she were in luck, she'd get there before six and get a free ride, but if not, she could probably pick up a five-minute-old ticket lying around. Even if she didn't, there was a very good chance she could go on without a ticket and not get caught.  
  
As luck would have it, Marion found a ticket that wasn't expired yet. She caught a Northbound LRT and sat down. As she stared at the window, she saw a reflection in the glass. The blond she had encountered earlier was seated across from her and was staring at her. Marion looked away from the window, suddenly finding her hands much more interesting. She was startled when the woman mobbed over to the seat facing hers.  
  
"I am sorry for being sharp on the bridge. My emotions were clouded and I was distraught. "That's okay." Marion was rather uncomfortable.  
  
"However, what I said was true. I would not have died if I had jumped. I am exiled here."  
  
Her face grew wistful and sad. "I would have jumped if I knew I would die, but I cannot go to Mandos yet. It would be a respite of my exile." She said the last words bitterly. Marion edged towards the edge of the seat. She was planning on informing the driver that they had an insane asylum escapee on board.  
  
"Do not be alarmed. I will do no harm, nor am I mad, as your face shows you think. You look sad for such a merry season. Why?"  
  
Marion had no desire to talk with an insane person, but something about the woman in front of her inspired her with more life than she had felt since her parents died. The woman's eyes were of a blue so bright that they nearly radiated light, but holding a sorrow too deep to imagine. Marion was almost mesmerized by them. She started feeling that she could trust this strange woman.  
  
"If you come to my house for Christmas dinner I'll tell you." The woman snorted.  
  
"You trust me so quickly? Thirty seconds ago you thought I was insane."  
  
"Something about you makes me trust you. I don't know why. Anyway, you asked me about my problems and I'm not going to tell them to you on the LRT."  
  
The blonde laughed, a sound like little bells were chiming "All right. Don't worry, you can trust me. I look forward to dinner."  
  
The LRT slowed to a stop and the doors opened. The two women exited, went through the station and into the snow. It was almost blizzarding now, the snow coming down like sharp pellets of rock.  
  
"Luckily, my apartment isn't far. This way!" Marion led the other woman into her quadruplex, which had very little furniture, but a lot of boxes.  
  
"Welcome to my humble abode. And I do mean humble. I'm packing up to move to a smaller apartment, so there's not much here. Just sit down on one of those big cushions while I put my chicken-I'm-pretending-is-a-turkey in the oven. Oh, and I forgot to ask your name. I'm Marion Thomas. What's your name?"  
  
"My name is Caitlyn O'Neil, and I'm very pleased to meet you."  
  
Marion placed the chicken in the oven, washed her hands and sat down across from Caitlyn. Caitlyn smiled and asked, "Now what makes you so sad in this merry season? Do not worry; I will tell no one."  
  
Marion sighed. "Well, about a year ago, a little less, actually, my parents were driving home from a New Year's Eve party when a drunk driver crashed into them. Everybody involved in the accident died. My two eldest siblings inherited all their money and I got nothing. I lost my job two weeks ago because I couldn't concentrate, and I've yet to find another one. Is that enough misfortune for you?" Marion was surprised to find that she was crying slightly.  
  
"How about you? Why were you hanging off the side of the High Level Bridge?"  
  
Caitlyn sighed and her blue eyes clouded over. "I was banished for a crime I did not commit."  
  
Marion looked at her closely. "Are you joking? No one banishes people. They put them in jail. Anyway, what was this crime?"  
  
"I cannot speak of it. It is much too painful." A single tear fell from her right eye. Marion looked at her, wondering if she were speaking the truth. "Why should I believe you're innocent? Maybe you're a dangerous murderer! Why should I trust you?"  
  
"You don't have to. It's up to you. If you decide not to trust me, I will leave. If you decide the other way, I shall remain."  
  
Caitlyn looked at Marion. Her face was expressionless, except for a glint of hope in her eyes.  
  
"You should stay for supper, at least."  
  
Caitlyn's expression showed sudden horror. "Marion, I cannot. I have a cat at home that tears the place up if he's not fed on time. I must leave." Before Marion could do anything, Caitlyn threw her coat on and hurried out the door into the snow.  
  
*LRT stands for Light Rail Transit. It's a train that has one route through the center of the city. To ride it you buy tickets that last for an hour and a half before they expire.  
  
** The High Level Bridge is a bridge that crosses the North Saskatchewan River. As it's name implies, it is very high. They have a waterfall off it on Canada Day! On a more morbid note, if you jump off you die before you touch the water. You just go too fast to stay alive.  
  
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